


[Oldfic] Haven't Learned a Thing

by TheFanficMaster



Series: Old fanfics [8]
Category: Static Shock
Genre: Blood and Injury, Fake Character Death, Gun Violence, M/M, Nightmares
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-15
Updated: 2016-09-15
Packaged: 2018-08-15 05:12:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,324
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8043811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheFanficMaster/pseuds/TheFanficMaster
Summary: [Oldfic] Nightmares are a horrible thing, but Virgil isn't alone when dealing with the aftermath.





	[Oldfic] Haven't Learned a Thing

Virgil trembled lightly as he collapsed down on the dock, too lost within his mind to notice the way the moon was glimmering beautifully on the water. If a metahuman wanted to kill Static, then would've been the perfect chance, for Virgil truly wasn't paying attention to any of his surroundings. He didn't care that it was ridiculously cold outside and that he was clad in only a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. He also didn't care that Richie would worry if he woke up and found Virgil gone.

He didn't care…because that dream had been far too…vivid.

Normally, Virgil wasn't the type to be bothered by dreams of any kind, but this one had hit far too close to home for him to feel comfortable. His hidden fears…exposed right in front of his face. And he hadn't liked to see them one bit.

The nightmare had started out as a normal dream. He and Richie had been patrolling the streets of Dakota like they did every night. And of course, as was true to most of his nightmares, they'd run into a criminal, except this time, it was a plain old burglar and not a bang baby.

A burglar with a _gun._

Virgil had frozen with fear as the burglar raised the barrel to point at Virgil's chest, right where his heart would be: a deadly aim.

His mind having gone blank, Virgil hadn't been able to move, as if he'd been held down by a thousand chains wrapping around his arms and legs, binding him to the ground. In the dream, he didn't even have the rationality to use his powers, which wouldn't make sense in a real life situation, because he knew that would be the first thing he'd think of doing: using his static cling to remove the gun from the man's hands and send it flying.

But he hadn't. Instead, he'd clamped his eyes shut and waited for the loud bang that would signal the end of his life. And when that bang did indeed come, and so did the scream, but _not the pain,_ Virgil's eyes flew open, only to be met with the most horrifying sight he'd ever seen.

There was his mom, blood seeping through her jacket, still standing, but bent over in painful spasms as more of the life giving substance leaked from her lips.

"M-Mom?"

And then she turned and instead of seeing his mother's face, he was faced by the sweat-coated face of his best friend, closest person, and lover, Richie Foley.

He remembered Richie trying to say something, but unable to finish as his eyes rolled into the back of his head, sending him falling to the ground. He remembered his horrified screams as he ran forward toward his fallen friend, remembered that the criminal's laughter had echoed all around him, as if inside his head itself, as he took the scene as a chance to escape.

…He remembered gripping Richie's body tightly in his arms, horrified when he no longer felt a heartbeat, horrified that because of _him,_ Richie was gone…died _protecting him._

Virgil had woken up then, his mouth wide in a silent scream and his heart hammering with fear. Without thinking much about his decision, he'd slipped out of their apartment and ran down to the docks. He couldn't say that he regretted his decision much, even though he was honestly freezing, and not bringing a jacket hadn't been his best idea. But still, he didn't think he could've handled staying, turning and seeing that angelitic sleeping face of his best friend, unaware of the horrifying visions that Virgil had just witnessed.

As it was, he wasn't doing a good job of handling it all, even without being stuck in that dark, stuffy room. In fact, he felt even worse than he had upon waking up, because that dream made him _think._

' _Rich…what would I do if I ever lost you? If something like that happened to you just because you were my partner? What would I_ _ **do?**_ _'_

He raised a hand up to his face, surprised to find an acute warm wetness that wasn't sweat drying on his cheeks. So he'd been crying? He hadn't even noticed.

Virgil sighed and rubbed his eyes, trying to dislodge all of the gunk that had gathered there from the dried tears and sleepiness. "Aw man, why did I have to see that? Rich was right, I have been watching too many horror movies."

But he was still shaking and wasn't ready to go back just yet. So, he turned his gaze upward, noticing that it wasn't even close to dawn, and the stars were actually visible that night. Just the beautiful sight of them twinkling overhead was enough to calm Virgil's heart.

He'd been so oblivious to his surroundings that he failed to hear the footsteps as they approached him, and so, when a familiar warm, cotton jacket was draped over his form, Virgil jumped and whipped around with shock.

Richie knelt down next to his best friend on the dock, struggling to make out the figure of his Virgil in the dark, even with his glasses. Virgil's eyes were wide, startled, which surprised him: Richie hadn't been very quiet about his footsteps, so shouldn't he have noticed his presence by then?

"You okay, V? You gave me quite a scare, up and leaving in the middle of the night. You could've at least left a note."

The familiar comeback nearly left his lips, but Virgil clamped his mouth shut and turned away, not able to look Richie in the eye.

" _What are you? My_ _ **mom?**_ _"_

"Virg?" A bit startled by Virgil's actions, Richie allowed a comforting hand to rest on Virgil's shoulder, noticing that the jacket wasn't doing too much good against the cold air. "You're freezing: we should get back before you get sick—"

Virgil sighed heavily, interrupting Richie, and fell backward, so that he was lying on the dock instead of sitting up.

"What's wrong, V? This isn't like you, man," slowly, so as to avoid startling the other man, Richie reached out and ran his hands through Virgil's dreadlocks, nearly smiling as the other man leaned into the familiar, affectionate gesture.

Virgil was one of the most powerful people that Richie knew, and not just because of his metahuman powers. No matter what happened to him, he always got back up, something that he'd always admired about his best friend.

But at the same time, Virgil was a very emotional person and was easily hurt. Richie was similar in that sense: they both needed reassurance, however subtle, which was why Richie didn't say anything as Virgil leaned into his touch, and instead, turned his face upward to the beautiful sky.

"…I had a nightmare. A terrible one—I don't think I've ever been more terrified my entire life, Rich."

"Nightmares can't hurt you, Virg, unless you die in your dream, which could trick your body into thinking you were killed in real life, thus killing you in the process," Richie halted when he felt Virgil stiffen against him, leaning away from his touch suddenly. "Virgil?"

"But you weren't there, bro, you didn't see it…and I wasn't the one who died."

And suddenly, everything made sense.

"I see…Virgil, you do know that I wouldn't die so easily, right?" Richie turned and smiled at him then, and the resulting wave of warmth that spread throughout his chest caused Virgil to close his eyes, absently savoring the warmth.

It was dangerous to love someone as much as he loved Richie; he thought he'd learned that a long time ago.

The image of his mother's smiling face flickered through his head and absently, Virgil reached out for Richie's hand once more, allowing the blond to yank him into an embrace, nuzzling the top of his hair.

Turns out…he hadn't learned a thing.


End file.
